[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15916-S15917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself and Mr. Domenici):
  S. 2498. A bill to authorize the minting of a coin to commemorate the 
400th anniversary of the founding of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to occur in 
2010; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to 
authorize the minting of a commemorative coin in recognition of the 
400th anniversary of the Spanish arrival in Santa Fe, NM. This bill has 
the strong support of the entire New Mexico delegation and is co-
sponsored by Senator Domenici and a companion bill will be introduced 
in the House by Representative Tom Udall.
  In 2010, the City of Santa Fe will commemorate the arrival of Spanish 
settlers and the designation of the City of Santa Fe as the capital 
city of the Spanish territory now known as New Mexico. On their arrival 
the Spaniards found a thriving Native American culture. These native 
American and Spanish cultures served to enrich each other and led to a 
creation of a vibrant social, cultural, and financial center that made 
the settlement of the western U.S. possible. Although it was not always 
a smooth road it is the unique combination of the Spanish, native 
American, and Anglo cultures in Santa Fe that make it an American 
treasure. Santa Fe has long been heralded for its thriving arts 
community, as a world class travel destination, and for its natural 
beauty. These treasures and its proud history as a cultural meeting 
place make Santa Fe worthy of the national recognition of a 
commemorative coin. I urge all Senators to support this bill.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2498

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Santa Fe 400th Anniversary 
     Commemorative Coin Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Santa Fe, New Mexico, the site of native occupation 
     centuries before European incursions, was officially elevated 
     from a plaza established in 1608 to a villa and capital city 
     in 1610. Santa Fe has been the meeting place and home of many 
     cultures.
       (2) The Palace of the Governors, built in the early 17th 
     century served as the governor's quarters and the seat of 
     government under 3 flags. It is the oldest continuously used 
     public building in the United States.
       (3) La Fiesta de Santa Fe, a cultural, religious, and 
     social celebration, commemorating the resettlement of Santa 
     Fe by General Don Diego de Vargas in 1692 continues today as 
     an attraction for tourists and locals alike.
       (4) At the nexus of 3 historically important trails, Santa 
     Fe brought people and goods together over the Santa Fe Trail 
     to and from Missouri, California, and Mexico City.
       (5) Commerce on the Santa Fe Trail brought a much needed 
     boost to the economy of the American West during the 
     recession of the early 19th century. Santa Fe was the 
     rendezvous place for traders, mountain men and forty-niners 
     on route to California, and is today home to a multicultural 
     citizenry and world class art market.
       (6) The Santa Fe area is a center of market activity for 
     arts and culture year round, culminating in the world 
     renowned Indian Market, Spanish Colonial Art Market, and 
     International Folk Art Market.
       (7) New Mexico is the home to the oldest and continuously 
     inhabited indigenous communities in North America. Native 
     communities now residing in New Mexico include--
       (A) Acoma Pueblo;
       (B) Alamo Navajo Chapter;
       (C) Canoncito Navajo Chapter;

[[Page S15917]]

       (D) Cochiti Pueblo;
       (E) Isleta Pueblo;
       (F) Jemez Pueblo;
       (G) Jicarilla Apache Tribe;
       (H) Laguna Pueblo;
       (I) Mescalero Apache Tribe;
       (J) Nambe Pueblo;
       (K) Picuris Pueblo;
       (L) Pojoaque Pueblo;
       (M) Ramah Navaho Chapter;
       (N) San Felipe Pueblo;
       (O) San Ildefonso Pueblo;
       (P) San Juan Pueblo;
       (Q) Sandia Pueblo;
       (R) Santa Ana Pueblo;
       (S) Santa Clara Pueblo;
       (T) Santo Domingo Pueblo;
       (U) Taos Pueblo;
       (V) Tesuque Pueblo;
       (W) Zia Pueblo;
       (X) Zuni Pueblo; and
       (Y) many others that disappeared or were moved after 
     European contact.
       (8) The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 is known to be one of the 
     first ``American Revolutions'' when the Pueblo people ousted 
     Spanish colonists from New Mexico.
       (9) The Santa Fe area has long attracted tourists, artists, 
     and writers. The classic novel Ben Hur was written, in part, 
     by then Governor Lew Wallace, in the Palace of the Governors.
       (10) A commemorative coin will help to foster an 
     understanding and appreciation of New Mexico, its history and 
     culture and the importance of Santa Fe and New Mexico to the 
     history of the United States and the world.

     SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) $5 Gold Coins.--The Secretary of the Treasury (in this 
     Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall issue not more 
     than 100,000 $5 coins, which shall--
       (1) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (2) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
       (3) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
       (b) $1 Silver Coins.--The Secretary shall issue not more 
     than 500,000 $1 coins, which shall--
       (1) weigh 26.73 grams;
       (2) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
       (3) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
       (c) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
     States Code.
       (d) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5132(a)(1) 
     of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under this 
     Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
       (e) Sources of Bullion.--
       (1) Gold.--The Secretary shall obtain gold for minting 
     coins under this Act from domestic sources, and pursuant to 
     the authority of the Secretary under section 5116 of title 
     31, United States Code.
       (2) Silver.--The Secretary shall obtain silver for the 
     coins minted under this Act only from stockpiles established 
     under the Strategic and Critical Minerals Stock Piling Act 
     (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.).

     SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.

       (a) Design Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this 
     Act shall be emblematic of the settlement of Santa Fe, New 
     Mexico, the oldest capital city in the United States.
       (2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted 
     under this Act, there shall be--
       (A) a designation of the value of the coin;
       (B) an inscription of the year ``2010''; and
       (C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We 
     Trust'' (on the face of the coin), ``United States of 
     America'', and ``E Pluribus Unum''.
       (b) Design Selection.--Subject to subsection (a), the 
     design for the coins minted under this Act shall be selected 
     by the Secretary, and shall be reviewed by the Citizens 
     Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee.

     SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

       (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be 
     issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
       (b) Mint Facility.--Only 1 facility of the United States 
     Mint may be used to strike any particular quality of the 
     coins minted under this Act.
       (c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins 
     minted under this Act only during the period beginning on 
     January 1, 2010, and ending on December 31, 2010.

     SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.

       (a) Sale Price.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
       (1) the face value of the coins;
       (2) the surcharge provided in subsection (c) with respect 
     to such coins; and
       (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including 
     labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, 
     marketing, and shipping).
       (b) Prepaid Orders.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 
     for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of 
     such coins.
       (2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders 
     under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.
       (c) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the 
     coins minted under this Act at a reasonable discount.
       (d) Surcharge.--All sales of coins minted under this Act 
     shall include a surcharge of--
       (1) $35 per coin for the $5 coin; and
       (2) $10 per coin for the $1 coin.

     SEC. 7. GENERAL WAIVER OF PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no 
     provision of law governing procurement or public contracts 
     shall be applicable to the procurement of goods and services 
     necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
       (b) Equal Employment Opportunity.--Subsection (a) shall not 
     relieve any person entering into a contract under the 
     authority of this Act from complying with any law relating to 
     equal employment opportunity.

     SEC. 8. DISTRIBUTION OF SURCHARGES.

       (a) Recipients.--
       (1) In general.--All surcharges received by the Secretary 
     from the sale of coins minted under this Act shall be 
     promptly paid by the Secretary to the recipients listed under 
     paragraphs (2) and (3).
       (2) Santa fe 400th anniversary committee.--The Secretary 
     shall distribute 50 percent of the surcharges described under 
     paragraph (1) to the Santa Fe 400th Anniversary Committee, 
     Inc., to support programs to promote the understanding of the 
     legacies of Santa Fe.
       (3) Other recipients.--The Secretary shall distribute 50 
     percent of the surcharges described under paragraph (1) to 
     the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, for the 
     purposes of--
       (A) sustaining the ongoing mission of preserving Santa Fe;
       (B) enhancing the national and international educational 
     programs;
       (C) improving infrastructure and archaeological research 
     activities; and
       (D) conducting other programs to support the commemoration 
     of the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe.
       (b) Audits.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall have the right to examine such books, records, 
     documents, and other data of the entities specified in 
     subsection (a), as may be related to the expenditure of 
     amounts distributed under subsection (a).

     SEC. 9. FINANCIAL ASSURANCES.

       (a) No Net Cost to the Government.--The Secretary shall 
     take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that minting 
     and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net 
     cost to the United States Government.
       (b) Payment for Coins.--A coin shall not be issued under 
     this Act unless the Secretary has received--
       (1) full payment for the coin;
       (2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the 
     United States for full payment; or
       (3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the 
     Secretary from a depository institution, the deposits of 
     which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance 
     Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration.
                                 ______